PUTTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does putter mean? 

• PUTTER (noun)
  The noun PUTTER has 2 senses:

1. a golfer who is putting

2. the iron normally used on the putting green

  Familiarity information: PUTTER used as a noun is rare.

• PUTTER (verb)
  The verb PUTTER has 3 senses:

1. work lightly

2. do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly

3. move around aimlessly

  Familiarity information: PUTTER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PUTTER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A golfer who is putting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("putter" is a kind of...):

golf player; golfer; linksman (someone who plays the game of golf)

Derivation:

putt (strike (a golf ball) lightly, with a putter)

putt (hit a putt)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The iron normally used on the putting green

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

putter; putting iron

Hypernyms ("putter" is a kind of...):

iron (a golf club that has a relatively narrow metal head)

Derivation:

putt (strike (a golf ball) lightly, with a putter)

putt (hit a putt)

• PUTTER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they putter    ... he / she / it putters   
Past simple: puttered   
Past participle: puttered   
-ing form: puttering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Work lightly

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

potter; putter

Context example:

The old lady is pottering around in the garden

Hypernyms (to "putter" is one way to...):

busy; occupy (keep busy with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

putterer (a person who putters about)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

mess around; monkey; monkey around; muck about; muck around; potter; putter; tinker

Context example:

The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house

Hypernyms (to "putter" is one way to...):

work (exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "putter"):

puddle (mess around, as in a liquid or paste)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

putterer (a person who putters about)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move around aimlessly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

potter; potter around; putter; putter around

Hypernyms (to "putter" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

putterer (a person who putters about)

 Context examples 

"It seems like it's been puttering along, slowly growing," Holwerda said.

(Hubble Surveys Gigantic Galaxy, NASA)

That was his cousin. I knew his whole family history before he left. He gave me an aluminum putter that I use today.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)